Governor Cuomo Announces Nearly $700,000 in Funding to Local Law Enforcement to Purchase Video Interrogation Equipment

Practice recognized as enhancing fairness, effectiveness of the criminal justice system

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the State will provide nearly $700,000 in grants so local law enforcement agencies can either purchase equipment for the first time or upgrade existing systems that allow them to video record interrogations, a practice widely recognized as enhancing the fairness and effectiveness of the criminal justice system.

“With these grants, New York State is giving local law enforcement the resources they need to enhance the integrity, fairness and effectiveness of our criminal justice system,” Governor Cuomo said. “The practice of video recording interrogations helps prevent wrongful convictions and at the same time, protects investigators from false allegations. These grants will provide an important and recognized tool to law enforcement agencies that will help better protect our communities.”

District Attorneys' Offices in 29 counties across the state will use the grants to purchase or upgrade equipment for 150 agencies, including police departments and sheriffs' offices, bringing the number of agencies that will use the technology statewide to approximately 400. There are more than 500 police departments and sheriffs' offices in New York.

Of those 150 agencies, 55 are receiving grants from the state for the first time. With these grants, each of the state's 62 counties will have agencies that video record interrogations.

New York State has invested more than $3 million to allow law enforcement agencies to purchase and install video recording equipment since the first grants were awarded in 2006. The grants will be administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).

DCJS Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green, who served as Monroe County District Attorney for eight years and tried cases in which video recorded interrogations were used as evidence, said, "Audio and video recording of interviews of suspects on serious cases is a powerful tool to help hold those who commit serious crimes responsible for their conduct and at the same time help prevent wrongful convictions. DCJS is committed to providing support to local law enforcement that helps protect our citizens and promotes the integrity of our system."

District Attorneys' Offices will receive the grants and provide them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies in their respective counties. In addition to administering the grant funds, district attorneys must partner with agencies in their counties to develop video recording protocols that detail, among other items, the types of crimes with which an individual is charged that would require the interview to be recorded.

Grants will benefit the following counties and agencies; agencies receiving state funding for the first time are listed in bold:

Cattaraugus County District Attorney's Office: $39,888 for the Allegany, Ellicottville, Franklinville, Gowanda, Portville and Salamanca police departments; Cattaraugus County District Attorney's Office and Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office.

Cayuga County District Attorney's Office: $8,722 for the Moravia and Port Byron police departments.

Clinton County District Attorney's Office: $7,910 for the Plattsburgh Police Department and Clinton County Sheriff's Office.

Columbia County District Attorney's Office: $15,000 for the Hudson Police Department, Columbia County District Attorney's Office and Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Cortland County District Attorney's Office: $4,241 for the Homer Police Department.

Erie County District Attorney's Office: $49,870 for the Buffalo, Cheektowaga, East Aurora/Aurora, Eden, Evans, Hamburg Town and Village, Kenmore, Lancaster, Orchard Park, SUNY Buffalo and West Seneca police departments.

Franklin County District Attorney's Office: $29,970 for the Malone, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake police departments; Franklin County District Attorney's Office and Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

Fulton County District Attorney's Office: $13,335 for the Gloversville and Johnstown police departments and Fulton County Sheriff's Office.

Genesee County District Attorney's Office: $19,408 for the Batavia, Corfu and LeRoy police departments and Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

Hamilton County District Attorney's Office: $14,985 for the Inlet Police Department, Hamilton County District Attorney's Office and Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.

Jefferson County District Attorney's Office: $9,377 for the Watertown Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Monroe County District Attorney's Office: $38,552 for the Brockport, East Rochester, Fairport, Gates, Greece, Irondequoit and Ogden police departments and Monroe County District Attorney's Office.

Niagara County District Attorney's Office: $24,345 for the Lewiston, Lockport, Niagara, Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda police departments and Niagara County Sheriff's Office.

Oneida County District Attorney's Office: $19,832 for the Oriskany and Utica police departments, Oneida County District Attorney's Office and Oneida County Sheriff's Office.

Onondaga County District Attorney's Office: $15,212 for the Baldwinsville, Camillus Town and Village and Liverpool police departments and Onondaga County Sheriff's Office.

Orange County District Attorney's Office: $41,150 for the Chester, Goshen Town and Village, Greenwood Lake, Highland Falls, Mt. Hope, Walden and Washingtonville police departments; Orange County District Attorney's Office and Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Oswego County District Attorney's Office: $11,708 for the Fulton, Oswego, Phoenix and Pulaski police departments and Oswego County Sheriff's Office.

Rockland County District Attorney's Office: $23,596 for the Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo, Stony Point and Suffern police departments.

Saratoga County District Attorney's Office: $25,000 for the Ballston Spa, Galway, South Glens Falls and Stillwater Police Departments and Saratoga County Sheriff's Office.

Schenectady County District Attorney's Office: $20,000 for the Glenville, Rotterdam, Schenectady and Scotia police departments.

Schoharie County District Attorney's Office: $8,724 for the Cobleskill Police Department and Schoharie County Sheriff's Office.

Seneca County District Attorney's Office: $5,000 for the Seneca Falls Village Police Department.

St. Lawrence County District Attorney's Office: $15,200 for the Norfolk , Norwood and Potsdam police departments and St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office.

Suffolk County District Attorney's Office: $43,450 for the Riverhead, Southampton and Suffolk County (eight separate locations) police departments.

Ulster County District Attorney's Office: $35,514 for the Ellenville, Kingston, Marlboro, New Paltz Town and Village, Saugerties Village and Town, Shawangunk and Ulster police departments and the Ulster County Sheriff's Office (headquarters and Shandaken substation).

Washington County District Attorney's Office: $23,761 for the Cambridge/Greenwich, Fort Edward, Granville, Hudson Falls and Whitehall police departments and Washington County Sheriff's Office.

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (www.criminaljustice.ny.gov) is a multi-function criminal justice support agency with a variety of responsibilities, including law enforcement training, collection and analysis of statewide crime data; maintenance of criminal history information and fingerprint files; administrative oversight of the state's DNA databank, in partnership with the New York State Police; administration of federal and state criminal justice funds; support of criminal justice-related agencies across the state; and administration of the state's Sex Offender Registry.